Improvement in invalid-bedsteads



' lustrate my invention.

UNITED STATES ABNER BRAY, OF GHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN INVALID-BEDSTEADSi' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,493, dated June 3,1873; application filed May 10, 1873. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER BRAY, of Chicopee, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Adjustable Spring-Beds, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to provide a means of elevating or depressing theupper or head portion of a spring-bed to any desired inclination evenwhen occupied by a sick person; and this I accomplish by means of the combination, with a spring-hed-one part of which is hinged to the other part-pf a shaft, m, extending across from one side rail, A, to the other, and having its bearings at each end in metal plates h h secured to the side rails A, said shait being provided with toothed wheels or n,

which operate toothed segments ff pivoted to a bar which supports the swinging part of the spring-bed, which segments are supported by a flange, g, on the metallic plates, so that the rotating of said shaft raises or depresses the head portion of the spring-bed, according as the shaft is rotated in one direction or the other.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of so much of a bed as is necessary to il- Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the middle of the bed; and Fi g. 3 is a vertical section at line I through the metal plates which support the shaft and toothed segments at either side.

A A represent the side rails of the bedstead, having the metal plates h h secured thereto, one on each side; and the shaft m extends across and has its hearing, at each end, in one of the plates h, the shaft projecting through at one end, so that the winch it may be fitted thereon outside the rail A. A bar, 0, supports the spring a, upon which rest the slats B, which are hinged to other slats B atd and a metallic piece, I), is secured to the bar c, to which piece b is pivoted the toothed segment f, one on each side. The outside curved edge of the segment frests on a projecting flange,

and toothed wheels n n will be rotated, mov- I ing the segments If f and bar 0 upward and if the movement of the winch t is reversed the bar at and slats B will be depressed by the gears n drawing the segments f downward.

It is evident that the teeth may be made upon the outer curved edge of the segment in stead of the inside; andthe toothed wheels n h be located outside of the segments without departing from the principle of operation.

1 am aware that spring beds have heretofore been made adjustable at the head portion, and I do not claim that feature, broadly, irrespective of myconstruction and arrangement;

but-- I claim as my inventionlhe combination, in a springbed having the slats hinged or jointed at d, of the bar 0, having the toothed segments ff pivoted thereto, with the plates h It provided with retainingflanges g, and the shaft m provided with the toothed wheels at n, and opera-ted by a winch, t, substantially as described. p p

ABNER BRAY.

Witnesses:

T. A. CURTIS, G. EUGENE BUCKLAND. 

